Metallica have dropped footage of their acoustic cover of Thin Lizzy’s Borderline, and Phil Lynott would be proud

Metallica’s James Hetfield playing an acoustic guitar onstage — (Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for P+ and MTV)

Metallica have released pro-shot footage of their cover of Thin Lizzy’s Borderline, recorded at the band’s recent Helping Hands Concert & Auction in Los Angeles on December 16.

The band debuted their acoustic version of the classic 1976 track as part of a short-five song unplugged set featuring covers of Lizzy’s Whiskey In The Jar and UFO’s It’s Killing Me, as well as their own Blackened and The Unforgiven.

After finishing the song, which deals with the break-up of a relationship, singer James Hetfield paid tribute to late Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.

“Thank, you Phil Lynott, for writing that song about my life,” said Hetfield, who filed for divorce from his wife Francesca in August 2022. “That’s how it happens, man.”

Metallica also played a nine-song electric set as part of the same show, where they performed recent single Lux Æterna live for the first time and were joined by art rocker St Vincent for a version of Nothing Else Matters.

Metallica’s new album, 72 Seasons, is released on April 14, 2023. Produced by Greg Fidelman with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track album is the follow-up to 2016’s Hardwired…To Self-Destruct.

Check out pro-shot footage of Metallica’s version of Borderline below.

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